Today I will be appearing on Chicago’s ABC-7, News at 11AM sharing my tips and inspirations for throwing for a great Labor Day party. As the More is More Mom®, I am thrilled to share these beautiful appetizers with you. I hope you can celebrate with your family along with ours!

I find that while the ladies like snicky snacks, the fellas prefer something a little heartier. To satisfy the tastes of everyone at your party, I have selected four recipes to share with you. Enjoy them one at a time, or all together, for a wonderful celebration with family and friends.

Steak Crostini’s:

The tender steaks and creamy topping are such tasty goodness! I love that this recipe is so simple and can be largely prepared in advance.

Please note that each strip steak will provide 12-15 appetizers.

Topping:

In a mixing bowl, combine;

¾ cup mayonnaise

3 heaping tsp horseradish

6 tsp Dijon mustard

2 cloves of garlic, minced

½ tsp salt

Mix well, until nice and creamy, cover and refrigerate until ready to use. This can be prepared a day in advance.

Crostini:

Slice nice crusty baguette bread approximately ½” thick for manageable, bite size pieces. Depending on how many appetizers you are making, you may need more than one loaf of bread. My preference is to slice the bread in advance and store it in an airtight container or a re-sealable baggie (Ziploc’s my favorite. This is not a paid advertisement…yet). Put aside until ready to toast and serve.

Steaks:

The New York strip is a very nice cut of meat. The marbling gives it a little extra flavor.

Option 1: Pre-heat your grill to medium. Cook each side for approximately 4-5 minutes for medium-rare. Let stand for 10 minutes. Trim off any uneven edges before slicing ¼” pieces.

Option 2: In a large skillet, heat 1 Tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the steaks and cook for 4-5 minutes per side for medium-rare. . Let stand for 10 minutes. Trim off any uneven edges before slicing ¼” pieces.

Toast Crostini while steaks cook.

Finely chop 1/3 cup flat leaf parsley.

Assembly:

Arrange toasted baguette slices on a platter.

Place a small dollop of topping on each slice of bread.

Put a slice of steak on each Crostini.

Top each slice of steak with another dollop of the creamy topping.

Generously sprinkle with parsley.

Serve.

Bacon, Chicken and Potato Salad Lettuce Wraps:

A delicious mouth full! Again, like the Boy Scouts, my motto is…Be Prepared. You can make everything in advance and assemble right before you are ready to serve. What could be more beautiful and easier than that?

This recipe will produce approximately 24 appetizers.

Bacon:

Who doesn’t love bacon? You’ll want to cook about 10 slices of your favorite flavor (I like a smoked bacon); 6 to mix in to the salad and 4 to chop and sprinkle on top when you’re ready to serve.

You can certainly fry the bacon in a skillet, but I love to bake it in the oven on 350° for about 30 minutes. You can cook a lot of bacon in a short amount of time that way. I make 2 lbs at a time and store in the fridge in an air tight container. Then you can just warm it up in the micro as needed. It’s so easy to simply line a lipped baking sheet with aluminum foil, evenly place the slices so they are close, but not quite touching, cook and toss the foil in the trash when you are finished. Wipe the baking sheet with paper towel and wash out the pan. Cinchy!

Chicken:

Place one 6 oz boneless, skinless chicken breast in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to simmer, cover slightly and poach until cooked completely through, approximately 15-20 minutes. Remove from the pan and cool until easy to handle. Cut chicken into bite size pieces.

Potatoes:

Pre-heat oven to 400°

In a large mixing bowl, toss;

4 russet potatoes, peeled and cubed

2 Tbsp olive oil

¾ tsp salt (kosher or sea)

¾ tsp cracked black pepper

Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil

Evenly spread potatoes

Roast until golden and tender, approximately 30-40 minutes

Cool slightly and transfer to a large mixing bowl

Mix:

In the large mixing bowl with the potatoes, add;

6 slices of bacon, chopped

Chicken, cut into bite size pieces

1/3 cup diced celery

½ cup diced onion (your choice; red, Vidalia, scallions)

3-4 cloves of garlic, minced

Optional: 1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese (depends on how much you like cheese)

Dressing:

In a separate bowl, combine;

½ cup mayonnaise

2 Tbsp white wine vinegar

2 tsp Dijon Mustard

1 Tbsp paprika

2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley

4 sage leaves chopped

Mix until smooth and creamy

Add:

Dressing to bacon, chicken and potato mixture. Mix well. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Assemble:

In order to get 24 appetizer size portions of lettuce, you’ll need about 4 heads of Bibb lettuce. This doesn’t have to be a waste at all; chop or tear the leaves that are too big for the appetizers into bite size pieces. Store in a re-sealable baggie lined with paper towel and serve as a salad another day. Separate the leaves you are going to use, wash and store the appetizer portion size leaves in a re-sealable baggie lined with paper towel until ready to serve.

On a decorative platter, arrange lettuce leaves.

Scoop a generous portion of salad mixture into each lettuce leaf.

Sprinkle portions with additional 4 slices of chopped, cooked bacon.

Serve.

Pork Tenderloin with Spiced Ginger Dipping Sauce:

There is sooooo much flavor packed into each cube of meat, not to mention the dipping sauce, it will leave your guests wanting more (and this is just an appetizer!).

One pound of pork tenderloin makes about 15 skewers (with 3 slices of meat on each).

Marinade:

In a re-sealable baggie (so much less mess), combine;

1 cup sliced green onion (green and white parts)

½ cup of vegetable oil

7-8 cloves of minced garlic

1 finely chopped jalapeno pepper (bring on the heat)

1 Tbsp chopped, fresh ginger (Heavenly aroma)

2 Tbsp sesame oil

3 Tbsp lime juice

1 large pork tenderloin (approximately 1 ½ lbs, cut into 1” cubes)

Marinade for at least 4 hours, or even better, overnight

Sauce:

Over medium heat, heat up a saucepan.

Add;

1 Tbsp vegetable oil

½ cup red onion, chopped

Cook until the onion is tender, approximately 4 minutes

Add;

1 heaping Tbsp chopped ginger (sooooo fragrant)

4 cloves of garlic, minced

Cook for a minute or so (until delightfully aromatic)

Add;

1 – 14 oz can of diced tomatoes, do not drain

¼ cup rice vinegar

2 Tbsp Soy Sauce

1 Tbsp sugar

¼ tsp red pepper flakes

Bring sauce to a simmer for 10 minutes, over medium-low heat.

Pour sauce into a blender, puree until smooth.

Keep warm until ready to serve.

Garnish with chopped scallions

Skewers:

Soak skewers for 30m minutes.

Remove pork cubes from marinade.

Thread 3 cubes on each skewer, allowing a little space between each cube, for even cooking. Discard marinade.